At salvation, we joyfully receive the divine character of God, as well as the fruit of His Spirit (2 Peter 1:4; Galatians 5:22-23). These characteristics are worked into our personality by the Spirit of God from one stage of glory to the next (2 Corinthians 3:18), until we are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10).
Eventually, we barely recognize who we are, although we like our self so much better than who we used to be. Our gifts differ from one another, so that our strengths make up for each other’s weaknesses (1 Corinthians 12:7). This makes us a complete Body in which Christ can continue His ministry on the earth (Romans 12:8).
As new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17), we are complete in Christ (1 Corinthians 2:20-21). God blesses us with every spiritual blessing that Jesus possesses, including an abundant life (Ephesians 1:3; John 10:10). The more we know Him and His glory and excellence, the more we inherit what we need pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
Christ in us is able to do so much more for us than anything that we could ever dream is possible (Ephesians 3:20). We often fail to succeed in our efforts to work for God. Yet, in our union with Him, He makes us sufficient to complete His goals for our life (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 3:5, 9:8).
He covers us with His protective grace and supplies us with the strength and the power that we need to accomplish His plans for us in each new day (1 Peter 4:11; Ephesians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 1:24). His glorious might within us enables us to exhibit patience in trying situations, and perseverance in our faith (Colossians 1:11).
Christ in us is our treasure within, even though we are simply clay vessels, which proves that all we accomplish is through Him, and not of our self (Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Corinthians 4:7). We can only complete what He calls us to do because of His strength and power within us (Philippians 4:13).
Prayer:
Father God, help us to understand the union of Your Trinity, as well as the unity of Your Trinity with each Born Again Believer. This truth is the pivotal point upon which our relationship with You rests. When we draw our true identity from our merger with You, we no longer attempt to find it in our own accomplishments, talents and works.
When we realize who we are in Christ, we are able to truly enter Your rest for us (Hebrews 4:9-10). We are freed from our compulsion to work for You, and we relax and allow You to work in and through us instead. Your Spirit within us unites us with You and with Your Son, with an abundance of every resource that we need to abide in Your plans for us.
Thought for the Day:
Abiding in God’s rest is not some ploy to avoid having to “work for Him,” but it allows Christ to continue to live His life in and through us by His dynamic presence in our life; Christ is our whole life and we live solely to expand His Kingdom with souls with whom we will spend all of eternity.
- Colossians 3:3-4
